The beef cattle industry in Missouri is a diverse operation. Boasting nearly two million beef cows according to the USDA, Missouri ranks among the top states in the U.S. for cow/calf production. With the Joplin Regional Stockyards close at hand, the southern portion of the state is also a hot spot for stocker and yearling operators.
The MasterHand Milling team has been working with producers at a variety of stages to implement extruded distillers grain cubes and pellets into their operations. For many Missouri cattlemen, switching from a traditional two or three-part ration to a pellet with a higher price tag had them raising an eyebrow.
“I was a little gunshy to begin with,” says Jarod Kennedy. “But after seeing what this product does, I’m a big advocate for it.”
Kennedy runs cows and calves near Neosho, Mo., as well as stocking some lightweight salebarn cattle. He got started with the MasterHand Milling creep pellets last August during significant drought conditions on some 700-pound steers.
“We started those cattle on two pounds a day and were able to back them off to only a pound a day,” Kennedy says. “It squared those cattle up, shined them up and made them look like they are supposed to look.”
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Kennedy runs cows and calves near Neosho, Mo., as well as stocking some lightweight salebarn cattle. He got started with the MasterHand Milling creep pellets last August during significant drought conditions on some 700-pound steers.
“We started those cattle on two pounds a day and were able to back them off to only a pound a day,” Kennedy says. “It squared those cattle up, shined them up and made them look like they are supposed to look.”
Kennedy sold those steers as 879-pound yearlings last fall. After seeing how well those cattle grew when started mid-way through his operation, he decided to put the product to the test.
“I’m currently feeding about 100 head of calves that pretty much just wobbled through the sale ring,” Kennedy says. “They weigh maybe 350 and should be weighing more like 425. Somebody tried to start them, they got sick and just took them to town.”
Kennedy is feeding the mixed set of calves about one and a half pounds per day of the 100% DDG creep pellets in a short grass trap with a hay bale. In the past, he says he always used a preconditioning feed to start calves like this.
“I’m a believer in those products, but they have to eat 5 pounds of it,” Kennedy says. “These little starved calves, you couldn’t stuff 5 pounds in them when they get off the trailer.”
“With this DDG pellet, if I can just get them to get a bit of it, in a day or two I’ve got them eating a handful. And once I get them to eat a handful, it’s no big deal to get them to a pound and a half. There’s enough energy that will kick in on that calf, it gets the gut rolling.”
Most of the calves turn around and gain quickly once he gets them started, Kennedy said.
“Some of these calves that take off and bloom will gain 100 pounds in ten days. They get filled up, get something in their gut and get rehydrated. It’s kind of impressive how some of them turn around in ten days.”
Now a “true believer,” Kennedy has started feeding the DDG pellets to his cows and calves. Currently feeding a couple pounds per day, he plans to wean the calves using the pellet instead of a creep feeder.
“I usually creep my calves and don’t supplement my cows, but I’m not going to creep this year. They are lining up with their mamas and eating those cubes right off the ground.”
Kennedy plans to wean in a dry lot where he will feed the pellet in bunks for a day or two then kick calves out on grass traps. He says he’s looking forward to seeing how they perform after being on the pellets from the beginning.
“Right now, they look like a million bucks,” he said. “I’m excited to see what this product is going to do when our fescue grass comes in about 60 days. It’s the best thing going out there right now.”
